Apparatus for assembling ball-bearings.



F. W. GURNEY.

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BALL BEARINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. H, 1913.

1,23% 293, Patented July 3, 1917'.

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' F. W. GURNEY.

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BALL BEARINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. I913.

Patented July 3, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I 4w 7 I aHoz/n m F. w. GURNEY. APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BALL BEARINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1913.

1,232,293. Iafented July 3, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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F. W. GURNEY.

APPARATUSFOR ASSEMBLING BALL BEARINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. IL. 1913.

1,232,293. Patented Ju ,1917.

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FREDERICK W. GURNEY, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GULRNEY BALLBEARING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING BALL-BEARINGS.

Application filed April 11, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. GURNEY, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at the city of Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in anApparatus for Assembling Ball-Bearings, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to devices for as sembling ball bearings and is acontinuation in part of my method for assembling ball bearings as shownin my application filed January 28th,l9l1, Serial No. 605,199;and theimprovement consists in providing novel means for entering the ballsinto unbroken or continuous race grooves in the race rings withoutinjury to said balls or race grooves or rings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the ball bearing with theclamping-plates and levers in position for assembling the balls in the"races, the upper lever being shown in dotted lines and the endsofbothlevers are broken away; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of said parts inthe position shown at line X-X in Fig. 1 with an adjustable screw as afulcrum for the end of the upper lever; and Fig. 3 is a sectional viewat line XX in Fig. 1, showing the l'learing after it, is assembled, theballs having entered the outer race but without the removal of theprotective element and the support for the same, the levers being shownin the position which they would assume at the end of the assemblingmovement. Fig. i is atop plan view of the bed or stopping plate forsupporting the clamp and race rings for assembling the ball bearings.Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the clamping plates with the inner ring,spacing ring and balls clamped therein ready for. inserting in the outerring; and Fig. 6 is a similar side elevation of a modification of theclamping plates with the inner spacing ring or separator and the ballsclamped therein. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the inner side of one of theclamping cup plates showing the space for the in- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Serial No. 760,337.

ner ring and the castellated projections. Fig.

said curtainin entering the race. Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the openhanger ring for holding said protective curtain above the race groove sothat it protects the inner side of the race ring but can not enter therace groove. Fig. 12 is a perspective edgewise view of a spacing ring orseparator for the balls with outwardly facing cup-shaped openings forthe balls and sidewise openings to receive the projections on the innerfaces of the clamping cups; and Fig. 13 is a side elevation of saidseparator or spacing ring, showing the series of sidewise openings tothe ball cups.

Similar numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 20 designates the outer race ring and Ql'the inner racering. The numeral 22 designates the balls and 23 one form of spacingring or separator for the balls.

A clamp is provided for assembling the inner ring, the spacing ring, andthe balls, and for holding said parts firmly in position, so that theycan not move from their assembled position, which clamp is composed oftwo clamping plates or cups 24 and 25 and a screw bolt 30. The clampingplates 24 and 25 are rounded on their outer surface so as to easilyenter the outer race ring, being made sufiiciently less in diameter thanthe inner side of the outer race ring 20 to permit of the balls 22 exspace around thesame. The inner faces 34k which bear againstthe outercurve of the ball are curved to fit;firmly against said outer curve andhold the balls against the bottom of the race groove in ring 21, notperclamping cup plate 25.

mitting their outward movement. .The

spaces between the. balls on said inner faces 34 of the cup plates arecut away to permit the insertion of the particularball separator 23herein shown. The cuts form spaced projections 32 which enterthesidewise open- :ings 33 oft-he spacing ring '23, thereby holdingptheballs 22. firmly inplace. Incase no ball separator was used, or in case,ofthe use vof a ball separator of another type, itis obvious that thesecuts may be dispensed with, as shown in the modification of the cupplates in Fig. 6-, which construction greatly simplifies the cup plates2% and 25.

:A hanger ring 35 is provided which rests uponthe upper edge of outerring 20 inassembling the parts. The hanger ring 35, has an uprightportion 36 with a thin upper edge in line with the inner face .of therace ring20. .A protective curtain 37 is pro- :vided, which ispreferably made of softsheet metal, having a folded upper edge whichhangs upon the thin vertical edge 36 of ring 35. The curtain 37 is madeof suflicient width to hang. down on the inner side of outer ring-2O asfar .as the upper edge of ball race26.

A bed or stopping plate 38. is provided having a seat 39 thereon withinwhich ring 20 sits-firmly yetfits loosely. Nithinseat 39 plate 38 is cutaway as shown at A-Oto provide a stop for the under side of the Thedepth of the cutaway port-ion a0 is important since in assembling thebearing the balls 22-must not strike the lower edge 27 of the'racegroove 26. Hence the depth of the cutaway portion 10 must not be greaterthan the projection of saicl1clamping cup plate 25 belowthe inner ringso:that these parts will fit :perfectly together and stop the downwardmovement of the balls 22 when they spring into the groove26 beforetheballs 22'strike said loweredge 27.

.The bearing is preferably assembled by manual pressure since thefitting of the different parts into place is better accomplished by.means of the manual touch and control.

bed plate firmly against any outward movement from the lever d2 as itpresses slightly forward in pressing down upon the clamped race ring andballs in assembling the bearing.

. In :the process of assembling, the inner ring 21, spacing ring 23 andballs 22 are clamped firmly with-inthe cup plates and :25 ashereinbefore described. I The race ring 'QO5IS hGZLtQCT. as hot aspermissible without softenmg or drawing the temper in order to give asmuch 'of expansion to said outer race ring as possible. The inner racering 21 with'the balls 22 and clamping plates 24 and. 25 are kept ascold as possible in order vtobe in as great astate of contraction aspossible. The hot ring 20 is placed on the 38 under the fulcrum-41 inthe position shown in Fig. 2. 1 The hanger ring 135 is placed on itsupper edge with the cur tain 3'? thereon and extending down to the upper.edgeof groove 26; the assembled 'iClELIDPiCUPS 24C and 25 with ring21and balls -22;and spacing ring 23 therebetween and the balls 22extending out therefrom are theniquickly placed'in: the hot ring 20 inthe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The balls; 22 on the side towardthe fulcrum 41 beingthrust down intoithebottom .of the groove 26 .ofring 20. The lever as is placed against the front edge of the bed plate38 to vhold the same firmly against forward movement :and the end of.lover 4:2 is then placed HD6161" the-fulcrum' tl and the lever ispressed downward upon clamping plate 24: thereby forcing the projectingballs 22 progressively down inside the curtain 37 into the groove 26pivoting on the ball or balls 22 as they move down and progressing:toward the front side, the ring 20 springing and stretching toaccommodate the forced entrance of theballs into groove 26.

The curtain 37 protects the balls 22 and .the innenface of ring 20 andparticularly the edge of its race way or groove 26fro1n damage, the softmetal of the curtain 37 bemg scoredor scarred andedr-awn over the edgeof said race way 26, as shown at lain Fig. 10, andforming a sort ofcushion or yielding seatforthe balls as they enter the groove-=26 of thehot race ring 20. {The balls arepressed partly through-the curtain butare kept from injurious contact with the hardened race ring by saidcurtain, the soft metal of the curtain actlng as alubricant asitwerevforqthe hardened faces oftheballs and race ring. The hot outerring stretches somewhat in the operation. Accordingly a steel of highelasticitv is desirable for outer ring 20 on this account.

As herembeiore stated the cutaway portion 40 oi bed plate 38 permits ofthe balls 22 entering the groove 26 but stops said balls in theirdownward movement before they strike the lower edge 27 of the race 26and thereby injure said race and the balls from these hardenedsubstances coming in contact under such heavy pressure; It is apparentthat as the balls spring into place, the bottom of the clamp cup 25strikes against bed plate 38 within the cutaway portion 40 and therebystops said downward movement.

As hereinbefore stated, there is a clearance between the inner ring 21and the clamping plates at and 25 Within the groove 31, as shown in Fig.2, with the balls clamped in the race groove in said ring 21, therebyholding said ring 21 in suspended relation to the clamping plates 24 and25, thus the side pressure in assembling is exerted entirely upon theballs. The set of balls are thus free to assume a position of greatestcontraction by always seeking the bottom of the race groove, for theinner race ring is free to adjust itself to the line of pressure on theballs. The side pressure is applied only to the balls and not to thering in order that the balls may not be displaced from the bottom of therace groove in the inner ring and so increase the combined diameter ofbal s and inner ring.

It is apparent that the separator or spacing ring 23 with its outwardlyfacing ball cups forms an ideal separator for the balls and isapplicable only to a ball-bearing assembled after this manner.

I claim as new:

1. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, means for holding a race ring and theballs, means for pressing said race ring and the balls While so held andthe other race ring together into the as sembled position, and astopping means at tached to limit the movement of assembling to preventinjury to the race Ways.

In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls thereb'etween, an upper clamping plate, an underclamping plate, and means for securing said clamping plates togetherwith a ring and balls clamped there between with the balls firmly heldin the race groove of said ring, the outer peripheries of the ballsextending beyond the peripheries of said clamping plates.

3. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, an upper clamplng a plate, an underclamping plate, means for securing said clamping plates together with aring and balls clamped therebetween, and a stopping means to limit themovement of said clamping plates in the operation of assembling.

a. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing, a clamp for one of therings and the balls, said clamp holding said balls in the race groove ofsaid ring, a support for the other ring, means for pressing the clampedring and balls and said supported ring together into the assembledposition, and a protective element between said supported ring and theballs.

5. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, a clamp for the inner ring and balls,said clamp holding said balls in and around the race groove of saidinner ring, a support for the outer race ring, and means for pressingsaid balls into the race groove in said outer ring, and a protectivecurtain between said balls and outer race ring While entering the same.

6. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetvveen, a clamp adapted for holding theinner ring and balls, said balls projecting beyond the periphery of saidclamp, a support for the outer race ring, a protective curtain betweensaid balls and outer race ring, means for supporting said protectivecurtain that it may not be drawn into the groove in said outer racering, and means for pressing said balls into the race groove in saidouter ring.

7. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, a clamp for said inner ring andballs, a hanger ring on said outer ring, a strip of sheet metalsupported 011 said hanger ring, said strip of sheet metal extending downto the edge of the race groove of said outer ring, and means forpressing said clamped balls into the race groove in said outer ring.

8. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, means for holding said inner ring andthe balls and a support for said outer ring, a hanger ring on said outerring, a strip of sheet metal folded over the upper edge of said hangerring, said strip of sheet metal extending down to the edge of the racegroove of said outer ring, and means for pressing the balls so held intothe race groove in said outer ring,

9. In an apparatus for assembling a ball bearing having outer and innerrace rings and balls therebetween, a clamp for said inner ring andballs,said clamp adapted to hold said balls with their peripheriesextending beyond the periphery of said clamp, a support for said outerring, a

hanger ring on said outer ring, a strip of fcia 1 1 32,

,r sheetwmetal syppontednonnsaid;,hzmgen ring, In: testimqny t-whereof-I hava afixed my hsaid-snip.oisheetflmatalextendmg down-i0 slgnaturetinthepresenceof two wltnesses.

-,thev, e. c1ge of the trace gnoove wvibhinnsaid FREDERICK .V GURNEY.outer: migg, a; lever i501; :pressing; saidtballs Witnesses 5 into therace groove of said outer rigg and H.. A., SANDBERG,

.: {an .adj astablgiulcrum fiopsaid lever. 1 ARTHUR O. MORSE.

